Castle Brewery: 19th-century building once owned by Jennings Brewery in Cumbria up for auction from £900k

A 19th-century brewery is set to be auctioned off this month, 18 months after it was first put up for sale. Sprawling at 1.73 acres, Castle Brewery in Cockermouth was the former home of the Jennings Brewery before closing its doors in September 2022.

Developed in 1874 by John Jennings, the once-bustling brewery located on the edge of the Lake District National Park - 20 miles from Carlisle - will be sold by Auction House London, with a guide price of £900,000.

Auction House said the historic brewery contains an extensive number of period buildings. Spanning 63,125 square feet of accommodation, most of the site is available on a freehold tenure, with just a small part of the property being held on a 700-year lease.

It said: "Current owners Carlsberg Marston will also be keeping one foot in the door, with a tenancy agreement included in the condition of the sale. The company, who acquired the brewery back in 2005, will be renting part of the property on a 6-month licence at a monthly rate of £2,500.

"The Castle Brewery is a valuable piece of the town's heritage, and the local community is keen on it remaining as a functioning brewery. However, the online auction listing also highlights the site’s potential for redevelopment.

"Part of the brewery, the Grade II Listed former maltings building, had previously been granted planning permission for conversion into 16 residential flats. While this permission has since lapsed, potential investors may view it as an encouraging sign for future approval.

"Whether Castle Brewery undergoes a spectacular residential transformation or is repurposed for another use, there is hope that the upcoming auction will enable a new owner to revive one of Cockermouth's most iconic landmarks."

Castle Brewery goes up for sale by livestream auction with Auction House London on Tuesday, March 12.